Join the Team

From the very beginning of our venture into Student Government, we’ve known that we couldn’t create a transformational vision for Emory without the right set of guiding voices every step of the way. Now that we’ve gotten our ducks in a row and assembled a phenomenal core team, we’re ready to ask for more help.

This year’s student government has an incredible responsibility (and opportunity) during the Fall appointment process. We have the privilege of making over twenty-five appointments, some of which include multi-year positions. The students who fill these positions will help shape the culture of Student Government in years to come.We believe in a student government that puts students first and drives positive change in our community. We hope our appointees will challenge us to create spaces for necessary dialogue, keep us accountable to our community, and reflect the diversity of voices we find so valuable.

In addition to multi-year positions, we’re commissioning five task forces that will evaluate our current institutions and practices, explore concrete steps to create a safer campus, and seek to ensure that Student Government is representative of, and responsive to, each community on our campus. We’re actively soliciting varied perspectives to help us think outside of the box, and will be encouraging the task forces to leave no stone unturned when investigating solutions to some of biggest challenges faced by our University.

With so many available positions, we hope that everyone can find an area that aligns with their interests and passions. We sincerely hope that you’ll take a look at the list of vacancies and apply for at least one position. The future of our university is in our hands.

Let’s shape that future together.

Our Best,
Jon and Raj

Applications will close at 6:00 PM on Saturday, October 4, 2014. The search committee will use the weekend to review applications and schedule interviews. If there is a significant volume of applications, all candidates may not be offered an interview. Interviews will take place between Monday, October 6 and Thursday, October 9.

Please send a copy of your resume to sga@emory.edu with the subject “Join the Team” after you submit your application.

Board of Elections

The Board of Elections oversees the elections for the following offices:
President of the SGA, Executive Vice President of the SGA, Vice President for Programming of the SGA (SPC President), Vice President for Graduate Affairs of the SGA (GSGA President), University Senators of the University Senate [two (2) of three(3) elected], Representatives-at-Large (4), Vice President of the SPC, and all Divisional Councils’ elected positions, as indicated in each respective Appendix.

Article 2. General Waiver for Elections Officers
A nominee for any position on the Board must fulfill the following requirements in order to hold office:
A. A nominee for a position on the Board must sign a waiver declaring their neutrality in the pending elections and forgoing their right to run in the elections being overseen.
B. A nominee for a position on the Board must sign a waiver declaring their commitment to abstain from supporting any candidate in any such elections.
C. Each nominee’s waivers shall only be binding if he/she is confirmed appropriately and shall be presented to the Chair and Secretary before beginning his/her term.

Vice Chair of the Board of Elections

The Vice Chair of the Board shall:

Section 1. Qualifications and Appointment
A. Be a student of Emory University and shall have and maintain at least the cumulative grade point average to graduate from the school of enrollment.
B. Agree to the waiver conditions of Part II, Articles 2(A) and (B).
C. Be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature, for an enrollment-long period.

Section 2. Responsibilities
A. Execute the responsibilities and authorities of the Chair at the request of the Chair or in the event of the inability of the Chair to do so.
B. During the vacancy of the office of the Chair, shall act as Chair, until the Student Legislature shall have confirmed a nominee by the President.
C. Oversee candidate meetings for university-wide positions and maintain their roster and position students are running.
D. During challenges, shall take minutes along with the Secretary

Treasurer of the Board of Elections

The Treasurer of the Board shall:

Section 1. Qualifications and Appointment
A. Be a student of Emory University and shall have and maintain at least the cumulative grade point average to graduate from the school of enrollment.
B. Agree to the waiver conditions of Part II, Articles 2(A) and (B).
C. Be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature, for an enrollment-long period.

Section 2. Responsibilities
A. Maintain eligibility to manage the budget and finances of the Board.
B. Manage the budget and finances of the Board.
C. Serve as the chief advisor on fiscal and financial matters to the Board and as financial spokesperson on behalf of the Board.
D. Executive the responsibilities of the Chair at the request of the Chair or in the event of the inability of the Chair or the Vice Chair to do so, until a new Chair or Vice Chair has been selected accordingly

University-Wide Commissioner of the Board of Elections

All Commissioners for the University (“University-Wide Commissioners”) of the Board shall:

A. Be a student of Emory University and shall have and maintain at least the cumulative grade point average to graduate from the school of enrollment.
B. Agree to the waiver conditions of Part II, Articles 2(A) and (B) of this Code.
C. Be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature, for the term of two-academic years.
D. Work under the direction of the Chair

Constitutional Council

The Constitutional Council is the Supreme Court of the SGA and has both original and appellate jurisdiction on all issues and matters of policy, either arising from the actions of the SGA (including all of its subsidiary bodies) or the University. The Council may also override decisions of judicial bodies formed by the SGA or one of its subsidiary bodies, such the Interfraternity Council, Intersorority Council, the Student Bar Association, and Oxford SGA. Justices are appointed by the SGA President with the advice and consent of the Legislature for enrollment-long periods.

2. Be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Student Legislature. In making appointments of Justices, the President shall to the best of his or her ability ensure representation from among the various academic divisions of Emory University, provided that no each division is guaranteed representation on the Constitutional Council and that Justices shall be selected primarily on the basis of ability and experience. The President shall have the right to instruct the Heads of Divisional Councils in abetting him or her in such efforts and shall report to the Student Legislature his or her efforts in searching for candidates. At no point shall a majority of the Justices have been enrolled in the same division, defined as all students represented by a recognized divisional council, at the time of their appointment.

3. Serve a term corresponding to his or her time of enrollment at Emory University

Executive Board

The Executive Board consists of members who work with the President to carry out his policy goals and initiatives. Offices in the Executive Branch come with individual responsibilities and latitude to pursue individual initiatives as well.

All members of the Executive Branch must:
1. Be a student enrolled at Emory University.
2. Have and maintain at least a cumulative grade point average (GPA) to graduate from his or her school of
enrollment.
3. Serve a term equal to the length of that of the President, except where otherwise noted.

Associate Attorney General

The Attorney General of the Student Government Association shall:
A. Be fully informed as to the activities of all judicial organizations under the jurisdiction of the SGA and brief the
Student Legislature and the President and Executive Branch when necessary.
B. Provide for students information on judicial procedures under the jurisdiction of the SGA and the rights of students
therein, and on offenses and punishments as defined by appropriate bodies.
C. Advise the SGA and all organizations chartered thereunder as to the constitutionality of their procedures and
actions.
D. Represent the SGA in cases brought against it.
E. Carry out investigations into matters of constitutionality and adherence to the rules of the SGA.

The Associate will assist the Attorney General in executing their duties, providing significant support in chartering and student organization management.

Associate Chief of Staff

The role of the Chief of Staff of the Student Government Association varies widely from administration to administration. The Chief of Staff is typically tasked with managing the Executive Board and Cabinet while also pursuing their own initiatives and policy goals.

The Associate will assist the Chief of Staff in executing their duties, providing significant support in managing the people and activities Executive Board.

Associate Vice President for Communications

The Vice President for Communications of the Student Government Association shall:
A. Coordinate all public relations materials and publicity for the Student Government Association and act as the official spokesperson for the Executive Branch.
B. Advise the President on issues of policy and implementation.
C. Oversee the Associate Vice President for Communications of the SGA. D. The Associate Vice President for Communications serves for one term, the following term advancing to the position of Vice President for Communications.

The Associate Vice President for Communications assists the Vice President for Communications in their duties. This position is a two-year commitment, thus, applicants must be able to serve for two years.

Applicants should have background in design and marketing, and be proficient in social media promotion. Video production and editing experience would be an asset.

Associate Vice President for Finance

The Vice President for Finance of the Student Government Association shall:
A. Administer and supervise the financial affairs of the SGA and all organizations chartered thereunder, including but not limited to divisional and organizational financial accounts, expenditures, and budgets so as to enforce any monetary policy of the SGA.
B. Maintain all necessary financial records for the SGA and organizations chartered thereunder.
C. Assist the President in preparing the annual SGA budget proposal.
D. Serve as liaison between student organizations and the University accounting offices.
E. Prepare a budget for annual SGA expenditures and submit it to the Legislature.

The Associate Vice President for Finance assists the Vice President for Finance in the execution of their duties.

Director of Technology

The Director of Technology of the Student Government Association shall:
A. Manage and maintain all technological investments made by the Student Government Association
B. Work with University Departments and Units to evaluate current technologies in use on campus
C. Liaise with Departments and Units to advocate for changes in technology and represent student interests
D. Develop and provide support for the EmoryLife Network

Separate from the Vice President for Communications, whose role is primarily marketing, design, and public relations, the Director of Technology should have an in-depth understanding of technology, software, and services. The Director should be proficient in HTML, CSS, and PHP and should have some understanding of web and software development.

The Director will Chair the Task Force on Student Organization Management and Collaboration Technologies.

Secretary

The Secretary of the SGA is an independent officer established by Article VII, Section 2(G) of the Student Constitution. He or she is appointed by the President, in consultation with the Speaker of the Legislature and Chief Justice of the SGA, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislature, for an enrollment-long period. Many of the Vice President for Communication’s administrative roles have been transferred to this newly revived office. The Secretary is responsible for conducting SGA’s administrative functions, including but not limited to maintaining the roster of the SGA, presidents of divisional councils, updating and publishing the rules and bylaws of the SGA and opinions of the Constitutional Council, and stating in touch with the Secretary of the University and University Archivist of MARBL to archive the SGA’s records. As a result, all clerks and deputy secretary’s of the SGA work underneath the Secretary. Moreover, the Secretary sits on the Board of Elections to not only maintain the candidate’s rosters but also to ensure transitions happen as smoothly as possible. The Secretary works closely with the Vice President for Communications and Attorney General.

Descriptions of each task force, including preliminary questions that the group will be charged with answering, are available on the individual task force pages, accessible through the drop-down below.

All task forces will deliver full reports by mid-November and will receive specific charges after membership has been fully established.

Student Governance and Finance

The Task Force on Student Governance and Finance is charged with evaluating the structure of Student Government at Emory across all divisions and evaluating the amount and distribution of the Student Activity Fee. The Task Force will undertake a comparative analysis of Governance and Finance at peer institutions and provide a set of recommendations to SGA.

The Task Force will answer the following questions:
– Is our system of governance best for our unique community?
– Is the Student Activity Fee adequate?
– Is the Student Activity Fee allocated effectively?
– Does the current system of allocation maximize value extraction?
– Is the Student Activity Fee and its allocation maximizing value for ALL students at Emory?
– What value could changes bring?

Student Organization Management and Collaboration Technologies

The Task Force on Student Organization Management and Collaboration Technologies is charged with evaluating the current technologies, software, and services employed by administration, Student Government, and student organizations to facilitate the collaboration between and management of student organizations. The Task Force will undertake a comparative analysis of Student Organization Management and Collaboration Technologies at peer institutions and provide a set of recommendations to SGA.

The Task Force will answer the following questions:
– For each currently-deployed technology, software application, or service:
– What is the intended use?
– Is the platform effective for fulfilling that intended use?
– Are there other platforms that may be more effective in fulfilling the intended uses of each technology, software application, or service?
– Are there other platforms that effectively combine the intended uses of several current investments into a single service?
– What are they?
– How much do they cost?
– Where are they currently in use?

Diversity and Inclusion in Student Government

The Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion in Student Government is charged with evaluating the current landscape of diversity and inclusion across the Student Government Association, analyzing each of its branches. The Task Force will undertake a comparative analysis of Diversity and Inclusion in Student Governance at peer institutions and provide a set of recommendations to SGA.

The Task Force will answer the following questions:
– What segments of the student population are consistently underrepresented?
– Are there institutional or systemic reasons for these populations being consistently underrepresented?
– Is SGA genuinely representative of all aspects of the Emory community?
– How might SGA modify its processes to create a more inclusive and diverse governing body?

Campus Safety and Crisis Prevention Technologies

The Task Force on Campus Safety and Crisis Prevention Technologies is charged with evaluating the current technologies, software, and services employed by administration, Student Government, and student organizations to create and maintain a safe campus and to prevent crises. The Task Force will undertake a comparative analysis of Campus Safety and Crisis Prevention Technologies at peer institutions and provide a set of recommendations to SGA.

The Task Force will answer the following questions:
– What current technologies are employed to promote the safety of members of our community and prevent crises?
– Are incidents communicated in a helpful, productive, and unbiased manner?
– What technologies and solutions could be employed to increase safety and prevent incidents?
– Would new technologies help or create opportunities for victim-blaming?

The Task Force will collaborate closely with the Office of Health Promotion, the RESPECT program, Emory Police, and other stakeholders to identify additional questions and evaluate answers and solutions.

Greek Letter and ‘Exclusive’ Organizations

The Task Force on Greek Letter and ‘Exclusive’ Organizations is charged with evaluating the currently landscape of funding exclusive organizations and the funding status of various organizations considered ‘exclusive.’ The Task Force will undertake a comparative analysis of funding such organizations at peer institutions and provide a set of recommendations to SGA. The Task Force will propose changes to chartering, monetary code or bylaws, in accordance with their findings.

– What is an “exclusive” organization?
– Should exclusive organizations receive Student Activity Fee money?
– Are all “exclusive” organizations treated consistently with regard to funding?
– Does funding “exclusive” organizations align with the stated values of Emory University and the Student Government Association?